South San Francisco, CA October 3, 2022 by by Teresa Montgomery, Sustainability Manager at SSF Scavenger Co.
Q: School’s back in session. Any tips for reducing school-related waste?
A: Absolutely! As much as possible, embrace paperless/electronic communication. If you need binders and notebooks, choose some that are made of sturdy (and recyclable) paperboard instead of plastic.
Stay clear of backpacks and supplies that are poorly made and won’t last long. If you pack lunches, do so without any single-use disposables. Send your student to school with a reusable water bottle. Try not to buy juices, yogurts, and other items that come in non-recyclable and non-compostable packaging. Buy things like pretzels and trail mix in bulk. One large bag creates less waste than 12 small bags sold inside a box covered in shrink wrap.
Need to brush-up your sorting knowledge? Interested in more tips? Visit ssfscavenger.com/sort-smart today!
NOTE: Recently strengthened by local ordinances, Senate Bill 1383 requires Californians to separate organic waste such as yard trimmings, food scraps, food-soiled paper, clean paper & cardboard from landfill-bound garbage. If you are not already making full use of your green and blue bins, it’s time to start!